Saturday, 17 February 2007
The mutation is rare but cases have been recorded elsewhere
An ugly duckling has made waves on a farm - when he was born with four legs.
A rare mutation has left eight-day-old Stumpy with two extra legs behind the two he moves around on.
Owner Nicky Janaway, of Warrawee Duck Farm in the New Forest, Hampshire, said she was gobsmacked when she turned Stumpy over to check his sex.
"It was absolutely bizarre. I was thinking 'he's got too many legs' and I kept counting: One, two, three, four,'" she said.
Mrs Janaway said the animal would not survive in the wild.
"He's eating and surviving so far and he is running about with those extra legs acting like stabilisers," she said.
"He's had so much attention he is having a power nap at the moment because he's exhausted but we will making sure he's OK and hopefully he will carry on and survive."
The mutation is rare but cases have been recorded across the world.
